The Christian Blind Mission press release:GREENVILLE, S.C. -- The recent earthquake in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, is having a devastating effect on some of the world's most vulnerable people – the disabled, according to Ron Nabors, CEO of CBM-US, whose U.S. headquarters are based in Greenville, S.C.
CBM (Christian Blind Mission) is the world's largest international nonprofit dedicated to improving the quality of life for blind and disabled people living in the world's most disadvantaged societies.
"The earthquake has been especially devastating to people with disabilities," Nabors says. "In disasters like this earthquake, persons with disability are often the first to die. For those who do survive, they most likely have their wheelchairs, canes, and artificial limbs lost or demolished. They are existing in inhumane conditions with limited support from family, church, or community. They will be helpless to provide for themselves, making them highly vulnerable to the disaster's aftermath – which includes infectious diseases and malnutrition."
CBM is responding to the Haiti earthquake by sending emergency relief specialists to assess needs, meet with partner agencies, and determine immediate and long-term responses. The organization is committed to meeting immediate medical needs, while rebuilding infrastructure to meet long-term needs and ensure the human rights for those with disabilities.
"Typically, very little relief aid is accessible to those with disabilities," Nabors says. "They often fall to the end of the line for the world's limited aid response. But CBM is committed to making sure that these survivors get life-saving care."
Prior to the earthquake, CBM had 50,000 clients in Port-au-Prince. But due to the magnitude of this disaster, the number of people with permanent injuries--resulting in disability--is expected to increase dramatically. For children alone, statistics show that for every death of a child during a disaster, three are left disabled.
"Our international programs staff estimates that the number of injured children, men, and women demanding hospital services will increase 10-fold," Nabors says.
CBM has had many projects in Haiti since 1976, including five in Port-au-Prince. Two partner hospitals in Port-au-Prince include Grace Children's Hospital and the University Hospital. Presently, the damage the hospitals have suffered still is unknown.
"Our hearts go out to those affected by this devastating earthquake," Nabors says.
The KLTV report from Texas about the four missing Haitian artists with disabilities:
TYLER, Texas -- Among the thousands still missing in the rubble are four Haitian artists with East Texas ties. The artists are all faced with physical handicaps, but have learned to profit from their work thanks to the Global Art Initiative.
Jean Paul Joseph, better known as Jo-Jo (pictured), was born with no arms or legs.
"He just has stubs for arms and legs," said Don Bristow, with Global Art Initiative. "And, someone else straps a brush on his arm and he paints incredibly beautiful work."
Bristow says Jo-Jo is one of four Haitian artists he knows that don't let their disabilities get in the way of their art.
"Herald Alveres has no arms," said Bristow. "He paints with...a brush in his mouth."
Then, there is Pierre, an artist and paralympic athlete with no legs. And, Eder, a polio victim who relies on his crutches to move around.
All four men work with Global Art Initiative, the Texas-based organization that reaches out to the disabled in third world countries.
"Often times they are treated less than dogs," said Bristow.
Bristow says their mission is to educate the artists.
Their artwork is sold in the United States, and the profit goes strait back to men in Haiti.
"Watching them paint beautiful paintings in the condition that they are in makes us realize how much we have," said Bristow.
Working less than three miles away from the Presidential Palace in Haiti, Bristow says the men haven't been heard from since before the earthquake.
Global Art Initiative is quickly raising funds to send someone down to look for the artists.
"Our focus is on channeling a lot of those resources to the disabled," said Bristow. "Another aspect is there are a lot of newly disabled people in Haiti so we want to help out with that as well."
They are determined to carry out their mission.
